Lubricating system for piston machines



F. ACKERMAN.

LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR PISTON MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-10,1921.

Patented Nov. 14;, 1922;

Z SHEETSSHEEI I.

J V/W/ F. ACKERMAN. LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR PISTON MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-10,1921.

1,435,574, Patented Nov. 14,1922.-

7 2 SHEETS-SHEE1 2.

Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

FRANK ACKERMAN, OF ST. LOUIS, IIIISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO CURTIS & CO. MFG. 60., OF WELLSTON, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

LUBRICATING-SYSTEM FOR PISTON MACHINES.

Application filed, January 10, 1921. Serial No. 436,214

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK ACKEKMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Lubricating Systems for Piston Machines. of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichfit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates tothe lubrication of piston machines and engines'of the type in which oil is thrown upwardly onto the piston and interior of thevcyli'nder by a splashing device which dips into a bath of oil in the crank case of the machine.

One object of my invention is to, provide a machine or engine of the general type referred. to which is so constructed that an ample supply of oil will be provided for the splashing or throwing device without liability of too much oil being thrown onto the piston and cylinder when the machine is in operation.

Another object is to provide a lubricating system for machines of the character mentioned that will automatically maintain a proper predetermined level of oil in the crank case when the machine is in operation and which has provision for automatically supplying oil to the crank case to replenish the oil that is consumed and to raise the oil level above normal when the machine is,

stopped.

Another object is to provide a novel means for maintaining a practically constant level of oil in the crank case of a machine of the character mentioned when the machine is in operation.

Another object is to provide a machine of the general type referred to which is so constructed that the oil in the crank case of the machine will not tend to leak out through the joints in the crank case or through the crank shaft opening or open ings in the crank case.

And still another object is to provide a machine or engine of the general type referred to which is so constructed that it is practicable to make the crank case tight enough so that there is no appreciable sucking of air into the crank case, thereby preventing dust and grit from being sucked into the crank case when the machine is in operaticm. Other objects and desirable fear tures of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out. v

To this end I have devised a piston machine which is so constructed that when it is set in operation surplus oil in the crank case will be automatically discharged from same into an adjacent oil reservoir, thereby causing the oil bath in the crank case to drop to a normal predetermined level and to remain at said predetermined level while the machine continues in operation. The oil reservoir into which the excess oil is discharged from the crank case is preferably combined with the crank case in'such a manner that the oil bath in the crank case will be replenished automatically when the machine is in operation so as to maintain the oil bath at practically a constant level and will be materially increased when the machine is stopped or when the machine ceases to operate, so as to insure an excess supply of oil in the crank case when the machine is subsequently started.

My invention is applicable toany kind of air compressor, pump, internal combustion engine or other piston machine in which there is a fluctuation of pressure in the crank case when the piston reciprocates in its cylinder, and various means can be employed for carrying out the invention. I prefer, however, to equip the crank case with some suitable form of outwardly opening check valve which is so located with reference to the proper operating oil level in the crank case that excess oil in the crank case will start to escapethrough said valve when the machine is set in operation and will continue to escape until the oil level drops sufficiently to permit air to escape from the crank case through said valve, at which time the flow of the oil from the crank case ceases, said valve being of such a character that it prevents air from entering' the crank case through the port or passageway controlled by said valve when the pressure in the crank case is less than the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere. While I have herein illustrated my invention embodied in a single cylinder machine, I wish it to be understood thatthe invention is applicable to a multicylinder machine having cylinders of different diameters whose pistons produce a fluctuation of air pressure in the crank case when the machine is inoperation.

Figure l of the drawings is a vertical sectional view of a single cylinder air com pressor constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view illustrating another form of oil reservoir that can be used; and

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional. view of a mechanically driven automobile tire pump constructed in accordance with my inven tion.

In the form or" my invention shown in Figure 1 of the drawings A designates the crank case o1 a compressor, 13 designates the cylinder, C the piston in said cylinder, D the crank shaft of the machine and 1 an oil throwing device combined with the crank shaftin such a manner that it will dip into a bath of oil on the bottom of the crank case and throw oil upwardly towards the piston and cylinder when the machine is in operation. An oil reservoir E, which is arranged at one side of the crank case A, is connected with the interior of the crank case by a port or passageway 2 that is equipped with an outwardly opening check valve 3. The passageway 2 is located at such a point that the upper side of said passageway will be a trifle higher. than the normal or predetermined level of the oil bath in the crank case, indicated by the dot and dash line it. If there is an excess supply of oil in the crank case A when the machine is set in operation, or, in other words, if the level of the oil bath is higher than the normal level :0, the interior of the crank case will be cut off from the atmosphere, due, of course, to the fact that the passageway 2 is completely filled with oil. The fluctuation of air pressure in the crank case varies somewhat above atmospheric pressure and below at mospheric pressure, and during that portion of the revolution of the crank shaft when the pressure in the crank case is above atmospheric pressure, some of the excess oil in the crank case will be forced out of same through the passageway 2 into the oil reservoir E on each downward stroke of the piston. lVhen sutficient oil has been discharged from the crank case to partially open the passageway 2, or, in other words, when the level of the oil in the crank case drops to the normal level :0, the discharge of oil from the crank case will cease auto; matically, due, of course, to the fact that the valve 3 opens automatically on the downward stroke of the piston, and thus prevents pressure from being created in the crank case. It will thus be seen that there is a balance very quickly reached when there is 'sufiicient opening produced for the escape of air through the check valve 3 so that nofurther oil will be discharged from the crank case. Conversely until the discharge port or passageway 2 is partially opened by a drop in'the level of the oil bath, some oil will be discharged from the crank case on each downward stroke of the piston. In normal operation the maximum. air pressure in the crank case will be only a few ounces above atmospheric pressure, while the maximum vacuum may amount to several pounds, so that the average pressure in the crank case will be a pound or more below atmospheric pressure. This being the case, any small. leakage area between the interior of the crank case and the surrounding atmosphere will be. affected by the average condition of the partial vacuum in the crank. case and attempt to suck air into the crank case so that there will be no tendency of the oil in the crank case to leak out around the crank shaft bearings or around the joints in the crank case. In fact, a machine of the construction. above described shows no leakage of oil through any of the minor openings in the crank case. thus removing one of the troublesome points in the operation of small air compressors equipped with conventional splash lubricating systems. As the crank case is practically tightly enclosed, it is dust and dirt proof, and accordingly, the machine can be operated in an atmosphere laden with dust or grit without liability of an appreciable amount of grit being drawn into the crank case.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figure l the oil reservoir E is cast integral with the crank case and the check valve is formed by a small flap of leather or other suitable material arranged over the outer end of the passageway 2 and secured at one point of its peripheral edge by a fastening device 4;. The reference character 5 designates a stop that extends over the valve 3 so as to limit the outward movement of said valve. In order that the bath of oil in the crank case will be replenished automatically when the machine is in operation and will be increased materially or supplied with an excess supply of oil when the machine is stopped. means is provided for permitting oil to pass from the reservoir E back into the crank case. In the form of my invention illustrated in Figure 1 said means consists of a small hole 3 in the check valve 3 located below the normal oil level in the crank case. A valve 3 of the form shown in Figure 1 insures that the oil level in the crank case will remain prac tically constant when the machine is in operation, even though the oil reservoir E shows a large reserve or excess of oil. When the machine is idle oil flows slowly from the reservoir E back into the crank case A of the machine through the small hole 3 in the check valve Accordingly, when the machine has been idle a considerable length or time the oil level in the reservoir E will fall to the same level as the oil in the crank case of the machine. As soon as 'the'machine is set in operation the excess oil in the crank case will discharged through the passageway 2 into the reservoir, and so long as the machine continues in operation there will be a slow, constant flow or return of oil from the reservoir back into the crank case through the hole 3 in the check valve. It too much oil is returned to the crank case through the hole 3 in the check valve, the excess oil is simply ejected from the crank case automatically by the pressure which is created in the crank case when the dis charge passageway 2 is completely filled with oil;

In Figure 2 of the drawings I have shown an oil reservoir E that is adapted to be connected to the crankcase of a piston machine by a pipe fitting 6, said oil reservoir being so constructed" that it serves as an oil level indicator and filling cup when the machine is idle. The oil reservoir E" is provided with a passageway 2 which is so located with reference to the normal level of the oil in the crank case of the machine on which said reservoir is used that air can escape from the crank case of the machine through said passageway when the oil bath in the crank case is at normal level or below normal level, and the escape of air from the crank case will be automatically cut off when the oil bath in the crank case is above the normal or predetermined oil level. The passageway 2 is controlled by an outwardly opening-check valve 13, and the bottom of the reservoir E is provided with a port or opening 13 through which oil can escape from the reservoir back into the crank case to replenish the oil bath or to materially increase the supply of'oil in the crank case. The reservoir E is provided with a removable cover '7 and the valve 1 is conuected to a dependingportion on said cover so to cause the valve 13 to be shifted into an inoperative position, and thus completely open the passageway 2* when the cover '4' of the reservoir is removed. As soon as the cover of the reservoir E is removed the same oil level will be established in said reservoir as exists in the crankcase of the machine, thus showing the operator. in charge of the machine whether or not there is a suilicient supply of oil in the crank case of the machine to insure proper lubrication of same. If more oil is required sur'hcient 9 0 I' oil can be introduced, into the cup 8 at the center of the reservoir to raise the oil level to the required height. When the cover 7 of the reservoir is replaced, thecheckvalve will be automatically arranged in operative position by the same operation. H desired, the depending portion 9 of the cover '7 that carries thecheck valve 18canbe pro, vided with a baflle 10 so as to preventtoo energetic an upward motion of the oilwhen oil isybeing ejected from the crank case 04* the machine through. the passageway 2 when the machine is;first set in operation. -Whilethe form of my inventionshown in Figure is slightly diflierent from that shown in Figure 1, it-embodies the samo general characteristics, namely, it insures excess oil being discharged automaticallyfrom the crank case of the machine when the-machine is first set in operation; it maintains a practically constant oil level in the crank case of the machine when the macl iine' is in. operation and itzinsures SJL'GXQBSS quan- I tity of oil being supplied to the crankcase whenthe mach ne is stopped. In. addition to thedesirable featuresv a-bovepo nted out,

it provides a convenient means for enabling the operator in charge of. the machine to quickly determine the exact oil level that exists in the crank case of the machine.

In Figure3 of the drawings I have illustransmission gear case of the automobile chasisi The gear case 15 ofthepump is adapted to be directly bolted-to the'transmission gearcase' (not shown) of the automobile chassisin a well known manner, and when the automobile is in operation a large amount of the'lubricant from the transmission gear case will enter the gear case l5 0-? the pump and in time leak through the main pump crank hearing 16 into the crank case 17 of the pump when the pump: is idle. When the driving gear 18 of the pump is thrown into mesh with the gear (not shown) in the automobile transmissionwgear case so as to set the pump in operation, any excess oil in the crank case 17 of the pump will ejected from said crank case back into the gear case 15 of the pump througha passageway 19 leading from the crankcase l? to the gear case 15 and controlled by an outwardly opening checkvalve-QO. As soon as the level of the oil bath in the crank case 17 of the pump drops to such a point that a ir can from said crank casev through thepassagewav 19, the discharge of oilfrom-the crank case 17 will cease automatically, and as long as the pump continues; in operation the oillevel in the crank case 17 will remain practically constant, the partial: vacuum that exists'in the crank case 17 causing oil to bedrawn from the gearcase-151into the. crank cast-r17 through or around the mainbearing16', thus furnishing an ample supply of: oil to the main bearing and also causing a slow but constant supply of oil to pass from the gear case into the crank case. If too much oil is drawn into the crank case 17 through or around the main bearing16 excess oil will be automatically discharged from the cran case through the passageway or port controlled by the check valve 20. Thus, although a great surplus of oil is present in the gear case 15 of the pump, a practically constant level of oil is maintained in the crank case of the pump, and accordingly, just the proper amount of lubricant is supplied to the cylinder of the pump.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: V

1. Asplash lubricating system for piston machines, comprising a crank case provided with a discharge opening, and means where by excess oil in the crank case above a certain predetermined oil level will be caused to escape automatically through said discharge opening when the machine is set in operation, cease escaping through said opening after said predetermined level has been reached, and thereafter returned to the crank case to replenish the oil bath. as the oil is consumed and to raise the oil level in the crank case above the predetermined level when the machine is stopped. I

2. fA splash lubricating system for piston machines, comprising means for causing ex cess oil in the crank case above a certain predetermined oil level to be "discharged automatically from the crank case when the ma chine is in operation, and means for causing said excess oil to be returned to the crank case by gravity so as to maintain a practi cally constant oil level in the crank case when the machine is in operation and an abnormallyhigh oil level in." the crank case when the machine stops.

3. A splash lubricating system for piston machines, comprising means for causing excess oil in the crank case above a certain predetermined oil level to be discharged automatically from the crank case when the machine is in operation, and an automatic means for returning said excess oil to the crank case was to raise theoil level therein above normal when the machine'is stopped. 4. A splash lubricating system for piston machines, comprising means governed by the pressure in the crank case of the machine for causing excess oil in the crank case above a certain predetermined oil level to be discharged automatically from the crank case when the machine is in operation, and means for automatically supplying oil to the crank case so as to maintain a practically constant oil level therein when the machine is in operation and an oil level above normal when the machine is stopped. l

5. A splash lubricating system forpiston machines, comprising means for causing excess oil in the crank case above a certain pre determined level to start to escape from the crank case when the machine is set in operation and continue to escape until atmospheric pressure is established in the crank case on the downward stroke of the piston.

6. A splash lubricating system for piston machines, comprising an oil reservoir, means governed by the pressure in the crank case of the machine for causing excess oil in said crank case above a certain predetermined oil level to be automatically discharged from the crank case into said reservoir when the machine is in operation and to'cease escaping into said reservoir after said predetermined level has been reached, and means whereby oil can return from said reservoir to the crank case by gravity and replenish the oil bath in the crank case.

7. A splash lubricating system for piston machines, comprising means for permitting air to escape from the crank case on the downward stroke of the piston when the oil bath in the crank case is at or below a predetermined oil level and to cease escaping from the crank case when the oil bath rises above said predetermined level. 8. In a piston machine of the type that comprises an enclosed crank case which holds an oil bath that is used for lubricating the machine, an outwardly opening check valve arranged at such a point with relation to the proper normal running oil level in the crankcase that the pressure in the crank case causes excess oil in the crank case above said normal running oil level to be automatically discharged from the crank case when the machine is in operation.

9. A piston machine provided with an enclosed crank case for holding a bath of oil that is used for lubricating the machine, and an outwardly opening check valve that controls a discharge opening from the crank case which is so located that excess oil in the crank case will be automatically dis charged through said opening until the oil. bath drops to a certain level and thereafter air will be discharged from the crank case through said opening on the downward stroke of the piston.

10. A. piston machine provided with an enclosed crank case for holding a bath of oil that is used for lubricating the machine, and an outwardly opening check valve that controls a discharge opening from the crank case which is so located that excess oil in the crank case will. be automatically discharged through saidopening until the oil bath drops to a certain level and thereafter air will be discharged from the crank case through said opening on the downwardstroke of the piston, and means for automatically replenishing the oil bath in the crank case. i

11. Apiston machine provided with an enclosed crank case in which there is normally a pulsation of pressure when the machine is in operation, said crank case being adapted to hold an oil bath that is used for lubricating the machine, a passageway or opening leading from said crank case at such a point that it will be submerged when the oil level in the crank case is above normal and will be partially open when the oil level in the crank case is at or below normal, and an outwardly opening check valve for controlling said passageway.

12. A piston machine provided with an enclosed crank case in which there is normally a pulsation of pressure when the machine is in operation, said crank case being adapted to hold an oil bath that is used for lubricating the machine, a passageway or opening leading from said crank case at such a point that it will be submerged when the oil level in the crank case is above normal and will be partially open when the oil level in the crank case is at or below normal, an outwardly opening check valve for controlling said passageway, an oil reservoir communicating with said passageway, and means for permitting oil to pass from said reservoir back into said crank case.

13. A piston machine provided with an enclosed crank case that is adapted to hold a bath of oil which is used to lubricate the machine, a passageway or opening leading from the crank case at such a point that the top and bottom portions of said passageway are located above and below the normal running level of the oil bath in the crank case whereby oil will escape through said passageway when the oil bath is above the normal level and air will escape through said passageway when the oil bath is below the normal level, and an outwardly opening check valve for controlling said passageway.

14. A piston machine, comprising a crank case that is adapted to hold a bath of oil which is used to lubricate the machine, an oil reservoir arranged at one side of said crank case, a passageway leading from said crank case to said'reservoir and so arranged with relation to the normal level of the oil bath that oil will escape through said passageway into said reservoir when the level of the oil bath in the crank case is above normal and air will escape through, said passageway when the level of the oil bath is below normal, an outwardly opening check valve for said passageway, and an orifice in said check valve through which oil can return from said reservoir back into said crank case.

FRANK ACKERMAN. 

